VET’S VIEW: The adventures of taking cats to the vet

I’M a great fan of Simon Tofield’s animations, which you can find on YouTube.

They are delightful line-drawn stories about his cat, which capture the essence of feline behaviour, but always with an anarchic twist.

Simon is currently working on a new film, Off to the Vet, and it’ll be his first colour feature.

Taking your cat to the vet can certainly be an adventure and I’m sure it’ll be a great source of comic inspiration, even if it at times it’s quite trying for the poor cat owner.

It is not infrequently that clients book two appointments to have their pets vaccinated, only to turn up to one.

Some cats have only to hear the creak of the basket being retrieved from a cupboard to disappear, so it’s worth knowing some handy tips.

Always make sure you have a sturdy basket or carrier, and if possible leave it out beforehand, so your pet can explore it and leave their scent on it.

Placing a blanket that your cat has slept on inside the container can help, and you can also buy a calming pheromone spray to use before the cat goes in.

Plastic cat carriers are easily cleaned, but many are front opening and you’d be surprised how many legs your cat has when you try to introduce them unwillingly.

I generally prefer top-loading carriers, and they’re easier to get your cat out of when they arrive at the surgery and realise that the basket is after all, a safe haven.

We have a separate cat waiting area at our main surgery, but if your cat gets particularly stressed travelling do let us know, so we can try to fit you in at a quieter time or at one of our cat-only clinics.

Meanwhile, I wait with trepidation to see what revenge Simon’s cat will wreak on his vet.